Granola

[gabby29]

I would love to make my own granola, but I've never done this before. I'd appreciate suggestions or recipes. Also, is it possible to use steel cut oats as opposed to the rolled ones? Thanks!

[kudru]

I find that when adding dried fruit, it's best to do it after the granola is baked and has cooled - otherwise it's like bits of shoe leather!

[gabby29]

Yum! These are great ideas. I really appreciate your help. I am quickly becoming the designated cook in the family.

[CindyJ]

I've been using a modified version of this Mark Bittman recipe ever since I found it on a CH link last winter.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/10/din...

[oakjoan]

I've been using that same Bittman recipe for about a year, also slightly modified. I really love the flavor provided by the maple syrup. We eat it almost every day for breakfast and haven't tired of it for almost a year. I love those big coconut slices, walnuts, pistachios, sesame seeds, almonds. I add the dried fruit after it comes out of the oven, but while it's still hot so the fruit lets off a little moisture to the granola as it cools. Usually use raisins, dried cranberry pieces, chopped up figs, dates, and apricots. With or without bananas and yoghurt or milk, this is really good stuff.

[Jibe]

Try this link
http://www.usaweekend.com/06_issues/0...

[Chowpatty]

You can't use steel cut oats, they need a long amount of cooking and the oats for granola are only slightly roasted. They would be too hard to chew. But you can use a good brand of natural, old-fashioned oats (not quick-cooking).

[goodhealthgourmet]

actually, if you like granola that stays crunchy after sitting in milk or yogurt for a while, steel-cut oats are a great addition - they get really crunchy/roasted when baked, and offer a nice textural contrast to the rolled oats. just bake the granola at a low temp [about 250] for 1 1/2 - 2 hours.

[ArikaDawn]

Ina Garten's cherry almond and cinnamon granola recipe is really great. The recipe is available on the food network site. I always use less oil than is called for, double the cinnamon, and increase the mount of almonds. It is also great with walnuts in place of the almonds, or dried cranberries or raisins in place of the cherries.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recip...

[Katie Nell]

I have failed miserably at all granolas, except this one... it's my grandma's recipe.

8 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 1/2 cups coconut
1 cup wheat germ
1 cup peanuts
1 cup sunflower seeds (shelled)
1 cup pecans or walnut pieces
1/2 cup brown sugar

Toss above ingredients together in a large bowl.

Heat the following ingredients in a small saucepan:
1 1/2 cups honey
1 cup peanut butter
2 T. vanilla
dash of cinnamon
dash of nutmeg

Pour over dry ingredients and coat well. Oil cookie sheets and fill 1-1/2"- 2" deep. Bake at 300 for 20 min. or until golden. Cool in pans and store in an airtight container.

It's so good that my husband didn't even notice that it had his arch nemesis, coconut, in it!!

[gabby29]

Sounds delish! Any ideas on replacement items for those with nut allergies?

[LeslieB]

I would think raisins or other small, hardish dried fruit like cranberries or blueberries would work.

As a side note, a friend of my BF has a hippie-ish daughter who makes huge batches of homemade granola for everyone as a Christmas present. The problem is, it's not very good and no one has the heart to tell her. Last winter we did find someone who liked it, though -- the squirrels in our backyard!

[Emme]

i love subbing in dried chopped persimmons, apples or pears.

you could also toss in some carob chips after the granola has cooled, as a more sweet treat.

[amyzan]

If you're allergic to the peanuts, try subbing almonds and almond butter or cashews and cashew butter, or some combo thereof, for the peanut products. It sould still work fine, though it will taste different (and be more expensive to make.)

The only thing to know about adding dried fruit to granola recipes, is that you're likely gooing to want to save them out until after baking. Otherwise, the fruit may burn or turn very, very hard and chewy, not a desirable result.

[goodhealthgourmet]

i don't like adding dried fruit after baking because the pieces don't incorporate properly and settle to the bottom. the easiest way around the problem is to soak the fruit in boiling water for a few minutes until it's nice & plump, then drain it and toss with the other ingredients before it all goes in the oven.

[amyzan]

Good solution if you're baking at a low temp and not for too long. I'll give it a try.

[toodie jane]

can you use seeds like pumpkin? I love 'em, slightly toasted, in granola.